Pig's ear is a South African succulent with gray-green, powdery leaves and bell-shaped orange or yellow winter flowers. It needs bright light, good drainage and sparing water.
Family
Crassulaceae (Stonecrop family)
Grows as
Succulent
Light
Full sun, Bright indirect
Water
Water deeply, then let the soil dry out fully between waterings; water less in winter.
Soil
Fast-draining cactus or succulent mix with grit or perlite.
Temperature
10–35 °C; protect from frost
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: Leaves contain cotyledontoxin, a bufanolide that can cause poisoning if eaten.
Native range
SW. Angola to Cape Prov.
Climate
desert or dry shrubland
About
Cotyledon orbiculata, commonly known as pig's ear or round-leafed navel-wort, is a South African succulent plant belonging to the genus Cotyledon.
Where it grows
Native to South Africa, it is popular in gardens in many countries. In the wild, it grows naturally in rocky outcrops in grassy shrubland and the Karoo region. In New Zealand, it is considered an invasive plant and is listed on the National Pest Plant Accord.
Uses
Cotyledon orbiculata has a number of medicinal uses. In South Africa, the fleshy part of the leaf is applied to warts and corns. Heated leaves are used as poultices for boils and other inflammations. Single leaves may be eaten as a vermifuge and the juice has been used to treat epilepsy.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cotyledon orbiculata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.